The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links
Calochortus persistens

Siskiyou mariposa-lily

Calochortus tolmiei

hairy star tulip, pussy ears, Tolmie star-tulip, Tolmie's cat's ear, Tolmie's mariposa-lily

Stems

not branching, ca. 1 dm.

± slender, usually branching, 1–4 dm.

Leaves

basal persistent, ca. 2 dm;

blade lanceolate, tapering at base, flat.

basal persistent, 1–4 dm;

blade lanceolate, tapering at base, flat;

cauline bractlike.

Inflorescences

subumbellate, 2-flowered.

± umbellate, 1–several-flowered.

Flowers

erect;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals smaller than petals;

petals pink to light purplish, obovate, 35–40 mm, adaxial surface hairy only distal to gland, margins yellow-ciliate;

glands bordered proximally by wide, ciliate membrane, distally by short hairs;

anthers lanceolate, apex apiculate.

erect or spreading;

perianth open, campanulate;

sepals 10–15 mm;

petals white to pinkish or purplish, obovate, 12–25 mm, adaxial surface densely hairy, margins ciliate;

glands bordered proximally by ciliate membrane, distally by short hairs;

anthers lanceolate, apex acute to apiculate.

Capsules

nodding, winged, ellipsoid, ca. 1 cm, apex acute.

nodding, winged, oblong, 2–3 cm.

Seeds

irregular.

deep purple, dark brown in age, irregular.

2n

= 20.

= 20.

Calochortus persistens

Calochortus tolmiei

Phenology Flowering late spring–mid summer. Flowering mid spring–mid summer.
Habitat Open areas in rocky soils Open grassy slopes or in woods, often on poor, dry soil
Elevation 1000–1500 m (3300–4900 ft) 0–2000 m (0–6600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
CA; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Calochortus persistens is restricted to the Klamath and Cascade ranges in Siskiyou County.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 26, p. 131. FNA vol. 26, p. 124.
Parent taxa Liliaceae > Calochortus Liliaceae > Calochortus
Sibling taxa
C. albus, C. amabilis, C. ambiguus, C. amoenus, C. apiculatus, C. argillosus, C. aureus, C. bruneaunis, C. catalinae, C. clavatus, C. coeruleus, C. concolor, C. coxii, C. dunnii, C. elegans, C. eurycarpus, C. excavatus, C. flexuosus, C. greenei, C. gunnisonii, C. howellii, C. indecorus, C. invenustus, C. kennedyi, C. leichtlinii, C. longebarbatus, C. luteus, C. lyallii, C. macrocarpus, C. minimus, C. monanthus, C. monophyllus, C. nitidus, C. nudus, C. nuttallii, C. obispoensis, C. palmeri, C. panamintensis, C. plummerae, C. pulchellus, C. raichei, C. simulans, C. splendens, C. striatus, C. subalpinus, C. superbus, C. tiburonensis, C. tolmiei, C. umbellatus, C. umpquaensis, C. uniflorus, C. venustus, C. vestae, C. weedii, C. westonii
C. albus, C. amabilis, C. ambiguus, C. amoenus, C. apiculatus, C. argillosus, C. aureus, C. bruneaunis, C. catalinae, C. clavatus, C. coeruleus, C. concolor, C. coxii, C. dunnii, C. elegans, C. eurycarpus, C. excavatus, C. flexuosus, C. greenei, C. gunnisonii, C. howellii, C. indecorus, C. invenustus, C. kennedyi, C. leichtlinii, C. longebarbatus, C. luteus, C. lyallii, C. macrocarpus, C. minimus, C. monanthus, C. monophyllus, C. nitidus, C. nudus, C. nuttallii, C. obispoensis, C. palmeri, C. panamintensis, C. persistens, C. plummerae, C. pulchellus, C. raichei, C. simulans, C. splendens, C. striatus, C. subalpinus, C. superbus, C. tiburonensis, C. umbellatus, C. umpquaensis, C. uniflorus, C. venustus, C. vestae, C. weedii, C. westonii
Name authority Ownbey: Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 27: 448, plate 38, figs. 1, 2. (1940) Hooker & Arnott: Bot. Beechey Voy., 398. (1840)
Web links